Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-08-04


"Gcntlemen, want % remark I've
heered that air story occasionally be-
fore thisr'
This was greeted by loud laugh
and every body agreed 60 it.
"But sec here Hawkins" l said. my
heart beginning 10 sink, ''you know
me-yOu've seen me before"
'Oh. ! reckon seed ye once" he
replied. without looking at me.
'Then you know I'm not horse
thief"
Cant say that I do. saw ye on .
steamboat couple o. months ago.
but hoss-thieves can ride ON steam
boats"
Like nearly every thing else this was
agreed to with loud applause. l saw
that my chances were growing despcr-
ate and used every argument in my
power to convice them that l was in
nocent. The men had fallen in with
put in their testimony in my behalf
but to no effect They were especially
anxious to see me hang afteron Of the
committee closely scrutinized me and
identified me as Doc Billings. one Of
the leaders Of the gang. HE looks
young but he's hard one" explained
the man. So it was settled that ]
should hang with the others All
seemed to be in favor of carrying the
sentence out Immediately. Here
Hawkins rose and said:
"Gentlemen. il wouldn't be = fair
shake for the other boys-wait till
mornin' till they come in to help Be
sides they may bring in some more OF
the gang an we can string EN- all up
together"
This was agreed TO rs readily MS
every thing else, and we were taken to
an empty log house little distance
from the rest and three men detailed
TO guard us.
We were each given a blanket, and
wrapped mine about me and sank
down in corner with the most terri
bic feeling l had ever experienced.
My past life came before me yividly,
and my mother and the home had
so recently left without cause rose up
before me aud caused me more bitter
anguish than Il seemed could endure.
Ny companions, hardened by dcs-
perate life and perhaps by former hair
breadth escapes, conversed in whispers
for some time and seemed TO take II
very coolly. After some time the lead
or said:
Young feller reckon ye got o
dance on air long with us"
Whether l replied or not l do not re-
member, but he continued:
I'm mighty sorry we got ye into Il.
but we lowed we'd get way all right.
Ef they swing ye ies' keepup and show
yer sand. They say yer're "a hoss-thief;
acts Il We was one. A feller can't die
but Nnce;" and with this philosophical
reflection he rolled himselfin u blanket
and he aud his companion were soon
fast asleep.
tossed and rolled in the corner un-
able to sleep and l might almost say
unable to keep awake. l felt dazed and
stupid.
1t must have been three o'clock when
I was startled by the door opening and
one of the guards stepping in. lie
came over TO my corner and told me
TO come out. Ibid so, and rs stepped
through the door saw a man ON horse.
back and another horse saddled and
bridled.
There's your hoss, said the man.
rs he leaned down from the saddle.
and recognized his voice as that OF
Hawkins, "get on an I'll show you out
o. this"
At first l could hardly comprehend
him. The prospect of deliverancc, and
that by the Judge who sentenced me,
fairly overpowering me. He warned
me to be quick, aud | scrambled on
my pony aud rode away by Hawkins
side, none Of the guards Offering any
resistance.
We rode for some distance in silence,
then Hawkins said:
There's loose board in the floor
and they'll think ye got out there.
can't go with you very far but reckon
ye can get away. Keep north o Yank.
ton, an don't show yerself to anybody
ef ye can help it. skip down into
Iowa an then go home an stay there" "
"Tll do that" replied, "if &c,
away"
That's right-this is no country fer
boys. Ye did me little favor pickin'
up them chips on the boat that time
an I'm willin' TO do as much fer ye. "
"Why, Hawkins, / can't tell you
how thankful | am-but that was na
favor did on the boat-nothing at all,
and this is saving my life-look at the
difference"
"Oh, that's all right-no differenc,
at allies what we both had chap.s
to do, an neither Of us couldn't d., no
more. Don't say no more bout that.
| knew yc didn't steal them hosscs an
didn't want to see ye hang fer il"
"But how did you know didn't
have something To do with it after
alp"
"Why, cuss it, ye see l stole tn,
hosses myself"'
"YOu?"
Eyes. me an some Of the fellcrs.
We cached them up on Choteau creeh
an these Nebraska fellers tried to run
'em of / reckon the moral health o.
the community demands that they
swing"
"But was all that crowd horse-that
is-were they all your friends?"
''Oh, no, some OF 'em were farmers.
Ye sec I'm chcerman of the Dakotn
Anti-Horsethief society and all my
gang are prominent members. We
have to have In some o the farmers
an other people to lend respectability
10 the society ye know, but I'm elected
cheerman every time, an we general.